I didn’t intend to participate in the first Bersih rally until the last 2 days. I hate crowded areas. I would rather pay for something more than to get a good bargain from those sales that departmental stores hold every now and then. I only decided to march when 2 days before the event, our then PM, Pak Lah threaten the marchers with “Saya pantang dicabar”. I was immediately incensed. What the heck. This guy has been sleeping on the job for so long and now suddenly woke up to threaten the rakyat. I just wanted to tell him he has lost all authority to tell us what to do by his non performance as a PM thus far.
The next problem is I need to find an accomplice. I was not so stupid as to go alone. We also have been warned by the organizers not to go alone. The day before, I found my accomplice. We decided to take the LRT from Asia Jaya. I nearly gave up after waiting for him for more than one hour. He, like everyone else on that day was caught in a traffic jam. By the time we reached Pasar Seni it was nearly 3pm. It was probably the last LRT operating before they shut the LRT down.
When we came down from the station, it was very quiet and raining heavily. I thought either the march didn’t materialize or it was all over. Just when I wanted to tell my friend to go back, we heard shouts from not too far away. A group of people was trying to get pass the FRU. So it was not over yet. The meeting point was at Dataran Merdeka. We went across to the Dayabumi building and when we came out from it, we could see that Dataran Merdeka was already cordoned off and no one was inside it. Again with a heavy heart I thought that’s the end.
Just then, we saw wave after wave of people marching above us (Jalan Kinabalu). I stood there with my friend totally amazed. At first I was not too keen to join them as it was still raining heavily and not too far away a few patrol cars were watching. My friend then said, ‘Let’s go’. Well, the rest was history as they said.
What surprised me was to see a group of people in maroon t-shirts directing and controlling the crowd. They were doing an excellent job. Only later that I came to know they were from the PAS Unit Amal. They were not only there to control the crowd but to protect them as well putting themselves between the FRU and the crowd. I also saw them picking up rubbish after the event. My whole perception of PAS changed after that.
Another prejudice that was buried that day, was one against the Malays. I can’t deny that prejudice and resentment has been built up over the years due to the unfair economic and educational policies. But that day when I walked shoulder to shoulder with the crowd who were predominantly Malays, there was this sense of unity that I felt, like we are one. 1 Malaysia was there. No need empty slogans and rhetorics.
I started to chat with one pakcik who was walking beside me. He asked me where I was from and told me that he was from Kedah. He told me they have been cheated by the Government for so long and don’t want to continue to be cheated again. So that was why he was here. Well, now I came to realize that the Malays have also been victimized. The NEP has failed them. It only enriched and continue to enrich a few. Majority of them are still poor and will remained poor if nothing changes.
10/11 was a historical day. It contributed to the awakening of the rakyat and the dismal performance of the ruling party in the following GE. That’s why they are so fearful about Bersih 2.0. I have hoped that we don’t have to do it again. But after more than 3 years, things have become worse. The cheating has become more blatant as evident from the recent Sarawak state elections. We have a Government who is more interested in bringing about the downfall of one person than to govern. The very institutions that are supposed to protect the people are being used to oppress, intimidate and bully the people. I guess we can go on and on with what's wrong.
The present ruling coalition has been in power for 54 years and it’s about time it retires. We should not use any extra constitutional means to topple the government. The answer is in and through the ballot box. But if there is no level playing field, how can this be achieved? Hence, Bersih 2.0.
My dear friends, I have a family too. Two young daughters. If possible, I would want to stay home and be safe. But seriously, what future do you think our next generation has if there is no change. Well, maybe for some of you, you are able to migrate or send your kids overseas. For many of us who don’t have these options, we just have to make sure that things don’t remain the same.
Unggun Bersih
Semakin lara kita didera bara —
kita laungkan juga pesan merdeka:
Demokrasi sebenderang mentari
sehasrat hajat semurni harga diri.
Lama resah kita — demokrasi luka;
lama duka kita — demokrasi lara.
Demokrasi yang angkuh, kita cemuhi;
suara bebas yang utuh, kita idami!
Dua abad lalu Sam Adams berseru:
(di Boston dijirus teh ke laut biru):
Tak diperlu gempita sorak yang gebu,
diperlu hanya unggun api yang syahdu.
Kini menyalalah unggun sakti itu;
kini merebaklah nyala unggun itu.
* A. Samad Said adalah Sasterawan Negara Malaysia
